Method of and apparatus for separating out and removing matter suspended in alpha fluid



Aug. 26, 1930. H. s. HELE-'SHAW METHOD 0F AND APP 1,773,797 ARATUs ron sar'm'rme ou'r Aun REMOVING MATTER SUSPENDED IN A' FLUID Filed March 13, 1923. 4 Sheets-Sheet l I I Il lll Il .J

Aug. 26, 1930. H. s. HELE-SHAW 1,773,797

l METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OUT AND HEMOVING MATTER SUSPENDED. IN A FLUID Filed March 15, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 26, 1930. H, s, HELE-SHAW 1,773,797

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING' OUT AND REMOVING KATTER SUSPENDED IN A FLUID Filed March 15, 1925 4r Sheets-Sheet A5 Aug. 26, 1930. H. s. HELE-SHAW 1,773,797

' METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OUT AND REMOVING IATTER SUSPENDED IN A FLUID Patented 12930 i j I UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ics HENRY sELBY HELE-SHAW, or LoNnoN, ENGLANn METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOB SEPARATNG OUT AND REMOVING MATTER SUSPENDED IN A. FLUID Application led IlIarch 13, 1923, Serial No. 624,873, and in Great Britain July 19, 1922.

My invention consists in separating out correspondingly diminished, thereby allow#v and removing matter suspended in a Huid by ing only finer bodies toA pass. the employment of a pack o r packs of sheets A similar variation of effect may be proor plates made Aof material impermeable to duced by depositing in different thickness the 5 the fluid, and making the fluid fiow between material forming the channel boundaries, or 5b the. adjacent sheets. I varying the embossing, or by having a coarser The sheets in the pack are brought close or finer surface on thepaper, or bya combitogether by means of what may be called nation ofthe two, or even by interposing befor convenience respectivelyv front and back tween the sheets themselves other sheets suclr 10 pressure heads, butnot sufficiently close t0 as stencil sheets of different thickness in 55 prevent the Huid finding its way between which the required channels are formed. If the sheets. It is able to find its way between the method of separation by difference of the sheets by reason either of the rough surdensity is used and some or part of the susface of thev sheets allowing channels to be pended matter is allowed in the channels,

'35 formed .automatically by the fluid, or artifithen differentiation maybe effected simul- 60 c ially'by preparing such channels by emboss-l taneously between the sheets while coarser ing one or both sidesof the sheets, impressing particles or c ven actual organisms may be al it with dies, or actually depositing or printtogether excluded from entrance. l ing suitable lines to act as borders for' the Even in the sheet itself further differentia- 20 channels. It is obvious thatthe matter may tion may take place depending on the speed 65 be separated from the fluid in two ways. with which the fiow of the' fluid takes place Firstly by forming these channels so that and the form of the channels employed. dilerence of density between the suspendedl The sheets need not necessarily be flat, matter and thefiuid may effect separation conical or cylindrical surfaces for instance g5 either by gravity or inertia. Secondly if the may be employed, but- I prefer to use fiat 70 distance between i the sheets 'is sufhciently sheets, and in order to avoid the necessity of sma1l,by actually preventing the matter in putting the packs of sheets or plates 1n a resuspension entering the spaces between the taining vessel which would require to be un-V sheets so that the liuid passes between the der pressure, and inorder to deal with suf- 30 sheets deprived of the suspended matter. It fienquantty `for practical purposes, I pro; 75V

ceed as follows Each sheet in-A the pack is similarly perspaces between the sheetsmay be varied so fmted gull que Ordmgrehhles Whe? more that if desired a differentiation may be eifecta an fonl ..0 e use tt e o es all? Pre eably ed of the suspended matter, and'A by a series frange m a (ima e rows Suc rows Bmg 80 ,Y alternately employed for entrance and exit of Processes dleielit kmds of Suspended ofthe fiuid. It wil be obvious that when the matter may ,be ehmmated from the uld sheets are placed tovether in the pack with COMSQT particles 31'?. allOWed t0 Pass. when the holes all registerihg. those with the single 1 there 1S less. Pressure between'the end Plates hole form a cylindricall tube while the rows 8i and therefore thIQllgh the Whole Pack and' of holes form rows of'cvlindrical tubes. If consequently wider spaces between the sheets. the pressure heads have holes or apertures so These coarser particles-or bodies are prethat the front pressure head communicates vented from passing when the pressure is by means of these apertures with the rows of 45 greater and the spaces between the sheets are cylindrical tubes by which thev fiuid is ad; 9o

is obvious that by such mechanical arrange. ment as screws, or by hydraulic pressure, the

mitted to the pack, and the back pressure head has apertures communicating with the row of cylindrical tubes by which the exit of the fluid is obtained, then it is obvious that if these pressure heads form a fiuid-tight joint with the front and back sheets of the pack respectively, there is no other way of escape for the fluid under pressure but by passing through the channels above described, the fluid passing either depositing the suspended matter'or residuum in the inlet tubes, or leaving it partly there and partly in the channels or altogether in thechannels, the filtered fluid, or filtrate finally passing out by the exit tubes and through the v back pressure head or, to a smallextent, out

round the periphery of the sheets. The latter exit can be prevented by impressing or depositing a border upon the individual sheets. If only one hole is used a large inter-` nal periphery is possible and all the filtered fluid can escape by the outer periphery of the sheets and be caught in a suitable casing.

The next point to be explained is the manner in which the deposited matter may be removed either from the inlet tubes or from the prepared portions of the actual channels.

v To remove the matter from the tubes a series of openings or apertures can be arranged in the back pressure head communicating with the end of the inlet tubes opposite to thatl at which the fluid is admitted. At intervals, as required, vit is merely necessary to open a cock or valve by which the foregoing apertures in the back pressure plate are closed, when, the end of the tube being open to the atmosphere, the whole pressure which is required normally to force the Huid through the narrow channels, is suflicient to expel the suspended matter which has been deposited in the entrance tubes. If by any means the suspended matter should have choked the tubes by solidifying and cannot 'be washed out, a contrivance of rods may be arranged by which the foregoing matter may be pushed out.

In order to remove any finer material which may have been deposited in the channels between the sheets the direction vof How in the whole apparatus may be reversed, and a washing out. fluid under pressure may be employed. It Will thus be seen that the separating appliance may be employed continuously without being dismantled, and the process made contnuous by the mere operation of taps or valves.

It is obvious that any material that is impermeable to the fluid may be employed for the sheets. but for purposes of -economy as well as reduction in weight and volume, I prefer to employ, as a rule, specially prepared paper, which may be waterproof, oilproof, or prepared to. resist various kinds of chemical action. Such sheets of paper may be rough on both sides, or smooth on one side and a desired pattern on the other, and perforated as required. Where filtration of a viscous substance, such as oil, is required the viscosity may be diminished by heating or any other means, and special tubes may be arranged for the passage of steam or other heating substances through the pack, or the fluid may be suitably heated before entering the appliance.

Each hole in the inlet row may be regarded as what is known as a source and each hole in the outlet row may be regarded as what is known in mathematics as a sink, the two forming what may be called-a unit, the motion of the fluid in general passing from a source to a sink partaking of stream line motion. It is obvious that the capacity of any separator may be measured by the number of such units, the number of units being multiplied indefinitely. Each sheet may contain a large number of units, and a pack a large number of sheets, and the product of the two represents the number of units operating simultaneously in one pack. By having the press heads suitably formed, a number of such packs can be placed in a continuous row and pressed together by a screw or hydraulic ram, such combination constituting one press. The number of such presses, as will be shown and illustrated, combine to form a complete separator or filter.

It is thus obvious that avery large number of units may be simultaneously operated by this method and any required amount of fluid may be dealt withf within a moderate space. No great increase of labour is involved with increase of capacity as the quantity of material to be dealt with is increased, since under normal conditions no dismantling is required.

An embodiment of the invention showing alternative constructions of filter plates is illustrated by the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a general view of a fluid filtering plant.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respectively face elevation. plan and side views of an-end inlet plate and Figures 5. 6 and 7 are similar views of an outlet plate both of a filter press using perforated sheets of paper between the inlet and outlet plates.

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively end and side views of a modified construction. of filter press.

Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13 are respectively end, face and sectional views of an inlet plate of the press, Figure 12 being a section through A-A Figure 11, while Figure 18`is a section through B-B Figure 11.

Figures 14, 15, 16 and 17 are similar viewsl contour.

In the filter press shown in Figure 1 the fluid to be filtered is stored in a tank 2, havlY ing an outlet Sprovided with a valve 4 and leading to the inlet of pump 5 dr-iven bya motor 18. The outlet 6 of the pump 5delivers fluid to an inlet end late 7 of a filter press containin a series o plates 8 having a number of suitable spacedperforations 40 and held i-n the usual manner between inlet plates 7 and outlet plate 9. Theoutlet plate 9 is provided with a fluid discharge outlet 10 leading to a filtered fluid. receptacle 11 and provided with a valve 12. The outlet, plate 9 isA also provided with :a drain pipe 13 providedwith a valve 14. The inlet pipe 6 is provided With valves 15 and 16 between which is arranged an air vessel `17. The filter is provided with a bye-pass 19 containing a valve 20. The inlet pipe to the pump is also connected to a tank 21, containing washing out fluid of which the supply is controlled by a valve 22. y

During the normal working of the plant the valves 4, 15, 16 and'12 are opened and the valves 22, 2O and 14 closed when fluid from the reservoir 2 is pumped-through the pipe 6 into and through the plates 7, 8 and 9 of the press into the filtered. fluid resen voir 11. p

When it is desired to clean the filter the valves 4, 20vand 12 are closed and 22, 15, 16 and 14 opened, when Awashing out fluid ffom the tank 21 is forced by the pump through the filter to the drain pipe 13 carrying deposits in the filter with it, and when it is desired to force washing water through the filter press in the reverse directionv either or both of the valves 15 and 16 is or are closed and the bye-pass valve 2O opened, the valves 4 and 12 being closed while 22 and 14 are opened as before. j

To enable the fluid to be passed through the plates in the above manner the end plates of the lter are constructed as shown in Figures 10 to 17, and thefilterplates 8 are in this embodiment of the invention perforated with vertical rows of perforations all registering with one another. These perforations are divided by means of the specially constructed end plates into two series of groups or vertical rows. Every alternate vertical row of the perforations 40 opens into chann nels 23 in the inlet plate, these channels open into a common channel 24 into whiclr opens the inlet- 6 from the pump 5. The series or groups or rows of filter plate perforations 1 opening into channels 23 form passages.

which at their opposite ends open into chan.-

nels 25 in the outlet plate of the press, and

these channels open into a common channel 26 into which opens the drain pipe 13. This drain pipe however, during the normal working of the press is closed so that fluid pumped into the channels formed by the perforations can only escape between the plates to the other or alternate series of groups of perforations, and in doing so deposit the suspended matter in the passages formed by n the registering .perforations '40, and which is removed' by the cleansing operation described above.

The filtered fluid passing 'between the plates 8 to the alternate series of groups of perforations 40 passes through passages formed by these perforations 40 into a second series of channels 27 which open into a common channel 28 which opens into the outlet pipe. 10 delivering filtered fiuid'into the reservoir 11. y

The filter plates 7 and 9 are provided with bolt holes 29 through which bolts are passed for holding the plates together in the usual manner.

Figures 2 to 7 illustrate a modification ofl the end plates 7 and 9 for use in the same manner as described with'reference to Figures 10 to 17, the channels 23 to 28 instead of opening directly into the faces of the l plates open through .perforations 30 registering with the perforations 40 in the lter plates 8.

. channels 35.

The press may be provided with mechanical means such as screws, levers or hydraulic pressure for the purpose of relieving the pressure and thereby opening-the spaces between the individual sheets 1n order to permit more effective washing out materiall which may be deposited between the sheets, without necessitating the dismantling of the separating apparatuses a whole.

The filter plates may be made of paper having a grain or matt surface, or have projections or raised borders formed thereon by printing, or by depositing and securing thereon any suitable substance.

The provision of plates having registering perforations 40 renders the .cleaning of the passages formed thereby possible,'by the insertion in such passages of rods or cleaning devices. v l

The inlet and outlet holes formed by the registering perforationsiny the sheets, need not be of the same size, for instance it may be an advantage to have the inlet holes larger than the outlet holes.

Figure 20 illustrates a face view of one of a series of perforated sheets of paper superimposed to form a -packand having formed thereon by slightly raised lines channels of a particular contour, and by slightly raised lines 51 boundary or border lines.

By the expression so thin as to be substantially perfectly flexible I mean'so thin that the sheets of whatever material they be can be folded upon themselves without permanent rupture or distortion.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. 'An edge filter comprising a pack of superimposed sheets having rugositles on their engaging surfaces provided with separate non-connected inlet and outlet passages in the interior of the block, a pressure head at each end of the pack b etween which the sheets are held, an inlet passage through one ressure head to said 1nlet passages in the interior of the pack, two outlet passages through the other pressure head one fromthe inlet passages in the ack and the other from outlet passages in tlie interior of the pack at another position, means for introducing the fluid. to be filtered to the inlet passages and means for permitting at will either the escape of the filtrate from the outlet passages or t e washing through of deposit from the inlet passages in the pack, the filtrate and the reverse flow passing between the rugosities of the engaged surfaces of the sheets leaving in the first case separated matter at the entering edges between the sheets andin the second case removing it therefrom. A

2. An edge filter comprising a pack of superimposed sheets having rugosities on their engaging surfaces provided with separate,4

non-connected inlet and outlet passages in the interior of the block, a pressure head at each en'd of the pack between which the sheets are held, an inlet'passage through one pressure head to said lnlet passagesin the interior of the pack, an outlet passage throughv i' the other pressure head to passages in the interior of the pack at another position and provided with an outletpi e havin a. valve, a second outlet passage t rough t e latter pressure head to the inlet passages after pass- 1ng between the rugosities of the engaged surfaces of the sheets in the interior of the pack and providedl with an outlet pipe having a valve, so that by closing the second outlet valve and opening the .first the filtrate from the liquid forced into the pack by the pump will be freely discharged and by closing the first outlet valve and opening the second the pum can be used to force liquid through the inlet passage of the pack to clean out the deposit therefrom.

3. A filter comprising a pack of sheets of material substantially impervious to the liquid being treated and of paper like thinness so as to be perfectly flexible, means forv compressing said pack of sheets, an inlet for the iinpure liquid to vloe treated, means for delivering theimpure liquid under pressure to said inlet7 and an outlet for the filtrate so positioned relative to the inlet that the liquid is constrained to pass from the inlet through the spaces between the sheets to the outlet.

4. A filter comprising a pack of sheets of flexible material substantially impervious to the liquid to be treated, rugosities deposited on the 'surfaces of said sheets, means for compressing said sheets together, an inlet for the impure liquid to betreated, means for delivering the impure liquid to the inlet under pressure, an outlet for the filtrate so positioned relative to the inlet that the liquid is constrained to pass from the inlet throu h the spaces between the sheets to the outlet, t e impurities being sepa-rated out atV the inlet edges and in the spaces between the sheets.

5. For use in a pack filter of the type described superimposed sheetsof perfectly fieX- ible material impervious to the liquid to be treated when said sheets lare in situ in the filter, said sheet having rugosities deposited upon its surfaces. y

.6. An edge filter comprising a pack of superimposed sheets of material so thin as to be substantially erfectly fiexible and of such a nature as to e substantially impervious to the liquid to be filtered, each sheet being provided with a series of perforations and the pack held between two end plates, an inlet for the fluid to be filtered and anoutlet for the filtrate, the perforations in adjacent sheets registering with one another to form inlet and outlet passages through the sheets which are placed respectively in communication with the inlet through one of the end plates and the outlet. I

7 An edge filter comprising a ack of superimposed sheets of material so t in as to be substantially erfe'ctly flexible and of such a nature as to e substantially impervious to llf) the liquid to be filtered, each sheet being provided with a series of perforations and the pack held between two end plates, an inlet for the fluid to be filteredand ,an-outlet for the filtrate, the perforations in adjacent sheets registering with one another to form passages l pressure between them, and one with an inlet for the fluid to be filtered and the otherwith an outlet for the filtrate, the perforations in adjacent sheets registering with one another to form passages through the sheets some of which are placed in communication with the inlet in one pressure applying end plate while the others vare placed in communication with the outlet in the other pressure applying end late.

9. An edge .filter comprising a pack of superimposed sheets of material so thin as to be substantially perfectly flexible and of such a nature as to be substantially impervious to the liquid to be filtered each of Which is provided with a series of perforations and the pack held under compression between end plates, an inlet for the fluid to be filtered and an outlet for the filtrate, and means for supplying the fluid to be filtered under pressure7 the perforations in adjacent sheets registering With one another to form passages through the sheets some of which are placed in communication with the inlet through one of the end plates While the others are placed in communication with the outlet, the inlet in the end plate being also placed in communication with the pressure supply of fluid to be ltered.

10. An'edge filter comprising a pack of superimposed sheets of material so thin) as to be substantially perfectly flexible and of such a nature as to be substantially impervious to the liquid to be filtered, a pressure head at each end of the packbetween which the sheets are held, an inlet passage in the interior of the pack, an outlet passage in the interior of the pack at another position, means for introducing the fluid to be filtered to the inlet passage and means ,for permitting the escape of the filtrate from the outlet passage deposited material being arrested at the entering edges andbetween the sheets.

11. An edge filter comprising a pack of sheets of material so thin as to be substantially perfectly flexible and of such a nature as to be substantially impervious to the liquid to'be filtered, a pressure head at each end of the pack between which the sheets are held, an inlet passage in the interior of the pack, means for holding said sheets close together, inlet passages in the interior of the pack, outlet passages in the interior of the packvat other positions, means for introducing the fluid to be filtered to the inlet passages and mean for permitting the escape of the filtrate from the outlet passages, deposited material being arrested at the entering edges and between the sheets.

l2. An edge filter comprising a pack of sheets of material so thin as to be substan-` tially perfectly flexible and of such a nature as to be substantially impervious to the liquid to be filtered, a pressure head at each end of the pack between which the sheets are held,

an inlet passage through one pressure head connected by a valve controlled pipe to a pump to Vpassages in the interior of the pack, an outlet passage through the other pressure head to passages in the interior of the pack at another position and connected to an external filtrate discharge pipe.

.13. In the manufacture of filtering lelements for edge filters, the step which comprises lithographing a design of spaced figures upon a face of a filter element to provide spacing projections.

In vWitness whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY SELBY HLE-SHAV. 

